Implantable medical devices are used for a wide variety of medical conditions, such as for example, cardiac pace making, cardiac rhythm management, treatments for congestive heart failure, implanted defibrillators, and neurostimulation. Neurostimulation encompasses a wide range of applications, such as for example, pain control, nervous tremor mitigation, incontinent treatment, epilepsy seizure reduction, and vagus nerve stimulation for clinical depression.
These implantable medical devices generally include an implanted pulse generator that generates electrical pulses or signals that are transmitted to a targeted tissue or nerves through an implanted lead. Controlled placement of the implanted leads is required for improved therapeutic efficacy or reduced side effects. Retaining the implanted lead in the desired location also creates difficulties because the location may change in time as the patient moves.
U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2009/0248054 (Sage et al.) discloses a typical anchor that is placed about the implanted lead. The anchor is made from an elastic material that provides a radially compressive force around the implantable lead. The anchor is sutured to subcutaneous tissue of the patient to secure the lead relative to a target location.
Existing anchors suffer from a variety of shortcomings, including insufficient or excessive gripping of the lead, and damage to the implantable lead during suturing of the anchor to the patient.